Bottle-filling machine.



G. P. MILLER.

BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I, 1913.

1,159,598, Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

5 SHEETSSHEET 1.

G. P. MILLER- Y BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1, 1913.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

' 5 SHEETS-SHEET 2 \nn H unwmmmwr o wummo G. P. MILLER.

BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-1,1913- 1 1 59,598. Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

G. P. MILLER.

BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-1, 191a.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

G. P. MILLER. BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1. I913.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915 woe I01 in /2% 5 SHEETS-SHEET 5 LII I l l I I I I \\\\\\\\\\& II I I GEORGE PARSONS MILLER, 0F GOVANS, MARYLAND.

no'r'rnn rrnn ue MACHINE:

' Y Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, -1915.

Application filed November 1, 1918. Serial No. 198,732.

To all whom it mayv concern Be it known that I, GEORGE P. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Govans, in the county of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in. Bottle-v Filling Machines, of which the following is a specification. e L

This invention relates to bottle filling mav chines.

One object provide a bottle filling machine'embodying among other characteristics a liquid tank and means whereby bottles may be readily fed to the machine and promptly adjusted to filling-position, and filled to the proper level with means arranged to receive and return any overflow of the liquid back to the tank, thereby avoiding waste of the liquid.

Another object resides in the provision of a bottle fillingmachine embodying means whereby the air in therefrom during the filling operation may be ventedout of the bottles without danger of subjecting the outgoing air'to the pressure ofthe fluid in the main tank and without the necessity of forcing the escaping air through a' valve.

Another object of the invention is to provide a' bottle filling'machine embodying ad-, justable parts so arranged that adjustments may be easily and readily madefor the purpose of filling bottles of various capacities and irrespective of the size of the necks of the bottles. a x

With the above and other objects inview, the present invention consists in the .combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particularly pointed-out in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation "of the invention. Fig 2 is a top plan view. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line (1-0 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is aside elevation of one of the chain belt operating drums. 'Fig. 5 is a plan view of a portion'of said drum. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sec-1 tional view of one of the valve mechanisms and the operating means therefor. Fig. 7 is a detail fragmentary view belt illustrating one of the pockets secured thereto. Fig. 8 is a detail fragmentary view illustrating a portion of the chain belt ,driving drum and a portion 'of the chain of the present invention is to the bottles displacedof the chain" belt with one of the pockets secured tothe chain. Fig.- 9 is a detail view of the bottle neck guiding elements- Referrin n w more particularly to the accompanyln drawings, the supporting means employed may be of any ,suitable character, but, .as shown, consists preferably of a table legs 21 to which the table may be bolted or otherwise secured.

ing 22 in which is journaled a hollow shaft 23 whose lower end preferably projects into or over a small tank 24. At the upper end ofthis hollow shaft 23, slightly below the upper extremity thereof, is secured in an suitable manner a liquid containing tank X whose upper edge is preferably, beaded, as at 25, for rigidity and for another purpose presently explained. The upper end of the hollow shaft 23 which projects through the bottom 26 of the tank A is preferably closed: by a removable cap 27 so as to prevent the escape of the liquid, from the tank down through the hollow shaft. This cap 27 be- 20 mounted upon suitable Adjacent one end of the. table is a bear-' ing removably secured to the upper, end'of 1 the hollow shaft 23 permits access to the interior of the shaft, if accessto the interior thereof for any reason be necessary. I

Arranged immediately beneath the bottom 26 of the tank A, and secured to the hollow shaft 23 in any suitable manner is a pan including a bottom 28 providedgwith a marginal flange 29. The bottom 28 of this pan is preferably substantially concave so as-to provide an overflow chamber 30 for a purpose presently explained. I The pan and the tank rotate together with the rotatable shaft '23 and the marginal flange 29 of the pan has such fit with the bottom of the tank as to prevent accidental escape of any of'the' overflow liquid from the chamber 30 incident to centrifugal force or otherwise. This chamber 30 has communication with the hollow shaft 23 through a suitable passage 31.

The-bottom 26 ofthe liquid containing tank A is provided with a plurality of filling orifices 32 through which the liquid from the tank A passes to fill the bottles'B. These filling orifices 32 are controlled by valves 33, one valve'for each orifice. Each valve 33 is preferably mounted in a casing 7 34. Each of-these casings 34 is supported the liquid containing tank A, preferably by having its lower end fitted-in any suitable manner in the respective orifice. The lower end of each valve casing 34 is preferably Contracted to form a seat 35 into engagement with which the respective valve 33 is normally held by a helical or other spring 35 encircling the valve stem 36 and confined within the casing 34. Each valve casment from. entering the bottles. By virtue.

of the valves and their casings '34 being con" fined within the tank A thereis no possibility of them being subjected to accidental breakage or in any way to interfere with any of the movable parts of the machine.

The reference character 38 indicates bottle filling nipples, each composed of any suitable material and preferably of small diameter so that they may readily fit in necks 39 of the bottles B irrespective of the size of the bore of the necks. The inner ends of the nipples are preferably screw threaded and screwed into the lower portions of the filling orifices 32 by virtue of whichthey may be readily removed or exchanged, if desired. The number of filling nipples depends upon the number of filling orifices.-

These nipples extend from the filling orifices down through the bottom 28 of the overflow chamber 30 which latter has its bottom 28 provided with orifices 28 through which the filling nipples project. The orifices 28 are of a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the filling tubes to permit of the projection through the orifices 28 in the bottom of the overflow chamber 30 of tubes 40 designed to surround the filling nipples in spaced relation thereto to shield the filling nipples and also to provide for the formation of an air duct or passage 41 to permit the displacement of the air from the bottles during the filling operation and, also to providea passage for the overflow of liquid which is likely to occur before the closing of the respective valves. This displaced air and overflow liquid may pass through the passage 41 arranged between the tubes 38 and 40 and out through the top of the tube 40 into the overflow chamber 30. The tops 42 of said tubes 40 are arranged preferably high enough to prevent back flow, if any, from th overflow chamber interfering with the flow of the air or overflow liquid to the chamber 30.

By virtue of the overflow and air passage 41 communicating with the overflow chamber 30 and not having communication with a the tank A there can be no back pressure masses caused by the pressure ofthe liquid in the tank A. Nor is the liquid entering the bottle B through the filling "nipple 3'8 compelled to force the air from the bottle through a valve. The'outgoing air from the bottle is not hindered but may pass evenly and freely through the passage 41 into the overflow chamber 30.

The valves are lifted from their seats 35 in any suitable manner. One means for this purpose may consist of a plurality of rock shafts 36 mounted on the upper edge 25 of the tank A. Each rock shaft 36 has a crank arm 36 which extends into the tank A and which has connected to it a rod 36 which is pivotally connected in any suitable manner to the respective valve stem 36. These rock shafts 36 each carry an arm 36 designed. to hang down on the outside of the tank A and pass over a cam track 36 supported in any suitable manner exteriorly of the tank A and preferably" by means of suitable suports 36 bolted or otherwise secured at their ower ends, as at 36", to the table 20, as shown particularly in Fig. 1.

Secured in any suitable manner to the aforesaid rotatable hollow shaft 23 and connected to the bottom of the overflow chamber 30 is a drum C including a web portion 43 and annular upper and lower flanges 44 and 45. On the outer surface of the upper flange 44 of said drum 0 are detachably secured pairs of bottle neck guiding elements 46. These guiding elements are detachable so that the same may be adjusted according to the size of the neck 0f the bottle. The lower flange 45 of. the drum C is provided with a plurality of slots 47, there being preferably as many slots 47 as there are pairs of guides 46 with the slots arranged preferably one-beneath each pair of guides. This drum is provided also with a plurality of chain engaging lugs 51 for a purpose presently explained.

Pivotally secured in any suitable manner to the outer side of the ring 45 adjustably secured to the shaft 23 is a trigger 48 adjacent each slot 47 and provided with a shoulder 49 adapted to be held normally at least part way across the respective slot 47' through the instrumentality of a spring or other pressure exerting means 50.

On the table adjacent one end thereof and referably in alinement with the aforesaid iollow shaft 23 is a bearing 52 in which is journaled a vertical rotatable shaft 53 keyed to which is a drum 54 preferably Of'adiame ter the same as the drum C anul like the latter, it has lugs 55. 'lhesezfdrums C and 54 are connected by a chain beltD composed of pivotally connected links 56 having openings to embrace the lugs 51 and 55 on said drums C and 54, respectively, so that as the drum, C rotates with the aforesaid vertical shaft 23 the chain'belt D will rotate the drum 54 with the result that during operation of the machine the chain belt travels in a horizontal plane, causing rotation of the drum 54. This feed belt carries a plurality of removable open ended bottle receiving pockets E, each consisting preferably of a back 57 and sides 58. These pockets arere movably secured to the chain belt by means of screws or other suitable fastenings 59 so as to provide for the attachment to the chain belt D of pockets of various sizes to accommodate bottles of different capacities. On one side of the machine is supported in any suitable manner a shelf 60, having a guard 60 over which the bottle feeding belt D operates. The attendant Works opposite this shelf placing the bottles thereon and in the pockets traveling over the shelf. Should the operator miss placing a bottle in one of the pockets passing in the direction of the arrow over the shelf at the left hand end thereof he may still have time to place a bottle in such pocket before such pocket passes beyond the right hand end of the shelf, thereby obviating the necessity of stopping the machine on such occasions and thereby saving timeand preventing possible unnecessary waste of liquid. r

At the time the bottles B which have been placed on the shelf 60 are carried by the chain belt'D off of the right hand end of said shelf, the bottles are forced upwardly into cotiperative position with relation to the respective filling nipples and held in such 36 position until .filled to the proper level. "One-means for lifting the bottles'upwardly to, filling position and holding them in filling position resides in the positioning of a hub collar 61 on the hollow shaft 23 This hub collar 61 is provided with a plurality of pairs of ears 62 in which are pivotedpon pivots 63, the arms 64. These arms 64 are adapted to swing up and down with their outer ends moving in the slots 47 of the drum C. The outer extremities of the arms- 64 carry heads 65 which are adapted to engage the bottoms of the bottles B as the latter leave the shelf 60 keepingthem from falling out of the pockets and forcing them upwardly into cohperative relation with the respective filling nipple. In the upward movement of the bottles they are guided by their necks engaging the guide elements 46 on the drum C. To thus support and lift the 58 bottles there is mounted on the tab1e20-a roller 66, it being preferably mounted in a support 67. The "hub collar'61'being fixed on theshaft 23, the arms 64 are caused to rotate with the shaft, and as the respective 60 arm 64 engages the'roller 66, it is lifted, and

this lifting of the arm 64 takes place .at atime to take .the corresponding bottle B as it leaves the right hand end of the shelf '60 and lift it upwardly forcing the neck of 65 the bottle against the corresponding gasket upward position and insure a firm support of the necks of the bottles B against the re.- spective gaskets 68. Thus the arms 64 hold the bottles B in their respective pockets after the bottles are taken from the shelf 60 by the chain belt D.

W hen the arms supporting the bottles B in filling position have been carried around to a point substantially opposite the righthand end of the shelf 60 they engage a trip 69 secured by means of bolts 70 or otherwise to the table 20. This trip moves the respective triggers backwardly from normal position against the tension of the pressure exerting means 49 so as to disengage the respective shouldered lug 49 from the respective arm 64 causing the latter to fall to its normal position against the corslots 47. At this point in the operation of thedevice, that is to say, when the respecresponding stop 47 at the lower ends of the tive arms 64 are released from their uppermost positions and drop, the bottles B are then delivered by the chain belt to the shelf 71'and carried over the latter by said chain belt. The outer end of the shelf 71 is preferably curved, as at 72, to direct the filled bottles 01f of-the shelf 71 for corking, labeling and other purposes.

' The machine is preferably driven from a single source of power. -For instance, when the hollow shaft 23 is rotated the tank A,

the overflow chamberr30, the drum C, the

trigger supporting ring 45 and the arms 64 are rotated with said shaft. The drum- -C being connected up with the drum 54,

the latter is also rotated by the chain belt D when the shaft 23 is rotated. Toirotate this shaft 23 there may be keyed to it, below the,

table 20, a gear wheel 73. With" this gear wheel 73 a pinion 74'meshes. Thispinion 74 ispreferably carried by a stub shaft projecting from a beveled gear 76 mounted on a shaft 77 journaled in the bottom of the-table 20. This beveled gear 76 meshes with a beveled gear 78 carried atone end of the'drive shaft 79. This drive shaft 79 may be supported at its inner end by a' hanger 80. I t'carries a clutch sleeve 81 with whichlatter is adapted to;co6perate a clutch and out of coiiperative relation with the clutch element 81 by means of a crank element 82 s'lidable on the driye shaft 7 9" into nected up with any suitable source of power and the treadle 86 being arranged beneath the shelf 60 the operator may start and stop the operation. of the machine at will by operating the foot treadle in a common manner. An auxiliary means for insuring even driving of the drum C and 54 may consist of a chain 87 connecting the shafts 23 and 53 below the table 20.

In operation, the tank A is filled with a predetermined amount of liquid in any suitable manner through the pipe 88 The rock shafts 36 are caused to rock as the arms 36 of the rock shafts 36' pass over the cam track 36. This cam track 36 is so arranged and formed that when a bottle B is moved upwardly to filling position the engagement of the arms36 with the cam track Wlll rock the corresponding shaft 36 and lift the respective valve 33. This permits the flow of liquid from the tank A through the orifices 37 of the valve casing 34 and through the filling nipple 38 into the respective bottle, the air in the bottle being displaced by the flow of liquid into the bottle and escaping through the passage into the overflow chamber 30. The rock shafts hold the respective valves 33 open until the respective bottle has been filled to the proper level and this proper level is generally reached at or shortly prior to the time that the arm 64 which supports the respective bottle in operative position reaches the trip 69. In

I the event of any overflow by virtue of the bottle being filled above the proper level before reaching the trip 69 this overflow will pass through the passage 41 and out through the top 42 of the tube 40 into the overflow chamber 30. From the overflow chamber 30 the displaced air from the bottles and the overflow liquid passes through the opening 31 into the hollow shaft 23 and down to the overflow tank 24. This tank 24 is preferably covered with chamois or other straining material 89 so as to preclude the possibility of glass incident tosbroken bottles or any other foreign matter from being conveyed to the main tank A. From this 1 overflow tank 24, the overflow liquid is drawn by a pum or any other-Jsuitable" means 90 through t e p'ipei'j9'1 'ai 1d forced upward-1yv through the pipe' -92 back into the main tan Y i90 nay be driven in. anybottle in filling positicn until the ottle'has reached a '.tolthisitable 7l therespective arm 36 of the .c a insa e therespective arm 64 which has supported a respective rock shaft 36' has reached such a point on the cam track 36 that the respective valve 33 is forced by its spring 35 to closed position just prior to the time that the trip 69 trips the respective arm 64 and permits deliverance 0f the bottle B to the table 71.. As the bottles are being fed by the chain belt from one shelf to the other it will be understood that the pluralityof bottles held or supported by the arms 64 between the shelves are being filled with liquid.

If desired, there may be disposed beneath the hub collar 61 a pan 94 for the purpose of catching any drippings from the machine as Well as particles of glass in the event of the breakage of any of the bottles during the operation of the machine. This pan 94 is preferably inclined downwardly toward the overflow tank 24. At the lower end of this pan 94 is a spout 95 which leads to the overflow tank 24. As chamois or other straining material 89 is preferably disposed over the overflow tank 24 the same character of material for straining purposes may also be placed over the mouth of the spout 9.5

What is claimed is 1- 1. In a bottle filling machine, a liquid con.- taining tank provided with a plurality of filling devices, spaced bottle receiving shelves arranged one on each side of the machine, an-endless chain belt operable to travel over said shelves to feed the bottles from one shelf to the other, open-ended pockets carried by the chain belt to receive the bottles the chain belt, and means operable to li t and hold'the bottles in said pockets in operative relation to said nipples and to support the bottles as they are carried by said belt in the pockets from one shelf to the other.

2. In a bottle filling machine, a rotatable tank provided with a plurality of filling nipples, spaced bottle receiving shelves arranged one on each side of the machine, an endless chain belt operable to travel over said. shelves to feed the bottles from one shelf to the other, pockets carried by the chain belt to receive the bottles, and, means operable to engage the bottles and. lift and hold the same in said pockets in operative rela- I tion to said filling nipples as the bottles are theshaft and having filling nipples, spaced bottle receiving shelves arranged one on each side ,of-the machine,gangendlesschain belt operable totravei over said shelves to feed the bottles over the up er faces of said shelves and from one siielf to the other, pockets carried by the chain belt to receive the bottles, the pockets being open ended, and swinging arms operable to lift and hold the bottles in said pockets in operative relation to said filling nipples as the bottles are carried in said pockets by said belt from one shelf to the other, and means for releasing said arms as said belt delivers the bottles to the last mentioned shelf.

4. In a bottle filling machine, a rotatable upright shaft, ,a tank secured to said shaft and having filling nipples, spaced bottle receiving shelves arranged one on each side of the machine, a drum secured to theshaft, an endless chain belt operable by said drum to travel over said shelves to feed bottles over the upper faces of the shelves and to transfer the bottles from one shelf to the other around said drum, pockets carried by said chain belt to receive the bottles, swinging arms operable to lift and hold the bottles in said pockets in operative relation to said filling nipples as the bottles are carried by said belt around the drum from one shelf to the other, and means for releasing said arms from holding positions.

5. In a bottle filling machine, a rotatable shaft, a tank secured to and rotatable with said shaft and having filling nipples, spaced bottle receiving shelves arran ed one on each side ofjthe machine, an en ess chain belt operable to travel over said shelves to feed the bottles from one shelfto the other, openen'de'd pockets carried by said chain belt to receivefthe bottles, the bottles sliding on the upper of the shelves during passage thereoyer, a ring secured to the shaft, trigger arms' f;earried by said ring, and swinging arms carried by the shaft and operable to :enga'g'esaid triggers and be held thereby to hold the bottles in said pockets of said chain in operative relation to said filling nipples as the bottles are carried by said chain beltfrom one shelf to the other, and means engageable with the triggers to release said arms from their holding positions.

6. In a bottle filling machine, a rotatable tank having its bottom provided with filling nipples, spaced bottle receiving shelves,

means to slide the bottles over said shelves during sliding movement over the shelves,

- and means operable to hold the bottles in operative position with relation to said filling means so that the bottles may be transferred by said sliding means from one shelf to the other.

7. In a-bottle filling machine, a tank having valved "outlets, spaced bottle receiving shelves arranged one on each side of the machine, and means for carrying the bottles slidably along on the shelves and to transfer the bottles from one shelf to the other, and

hold them in filling position with relation to saidzvalved outlets during the interval of carrying them from one shelf'to the other.

rality of valved filling nipples, a bottle receiving shelf arranged adjacent the machine along one side thereof, means for sliding the bottles on said shelf and off of the same,

means adapted to engage the bottles as they are fed off the said shelf and lift andhold them in operative relation with said filling nipples so as to fill the bottles to the proper level, means to release said lifting and holding means so as to remove the bottles from cooperative relation with said nipples, and a second shelf on the opposite side of themachine to receive the bottles after the filling operation and over which said feeding means slide the same,

9. In a bottle filling machine, a liquid containing tank provided with a plurality of filling devices, spaced bottle receiving shelves arranged one on each side of the machine, an endless chain belt operable to travel over said shelves to feed the bottles therewhereby the bottles may be fed in spaced relation along on the upper surface of the shelves by the chain belt, and means operable to lift and hold the bottles in said pockets as the bottles are fed by said chain belt from one shelf to the other and to lift the bottles into operative relation with said filling nipples during the interval of carrying them from one shelf to the other.

10., In a bottle filling machine, a rotatable shaft, a tank secured to and rotatable with said shaft and having filling nipples, spaced bottle receiving shelves arranged one on each side of the machine, a drum secured to the shaft, an endless-chain belt operable by said drum to travel over said shelves to feed bottles thereover in engagement with the upper facesthereof and from one shelf to the other around said drum, open-ended pockets carried by said chain belt to receive the bottles, a ring secured to said shaft, said ring having slots therein, trigger arms carried by,

said ring adjacent said slots, swinging arms 1;;

carried by the shaft and operable in the slots of the ring to engage said trigger arms and be held thereby to hold the bottles in said pockets of said chain belt in operative relation to saidfilling nipples duringflthe interval that the bottles'are carried by said belt from one shelf to the other, and means engageable with the trigger arms to release the samefrom their holding positions.

11. In a bottle filling machine, a liquid I21.

containing tank provided with a plurality of filhng devices, spaced bottle receiving shelves arranged one on each side of. the machine, means operable to feed the bottles from one shelf to the other, swinging'arms to lift and hold the bottles in operative relation. to said filling devices as the bottles are fed from one shelf to the other, a roller to lift said arms, means to lock said arms in lifted position, and a trip to efi'ect a release of said arms from saidlooking means.

12. In a bottle filling machine, a liquid containing tank provided With a plurality, of filling devices, spaced bottle receiving shelves arranged one on each side of the machine, means tofeed the bottles from one shelf to the other, swinging arms to lift and hold the bottles in operative relation to said filling devices as the bottles are fed from one shelf to the other, means to lift said arms, means for locking said arms in lifted position, means to release said arms from said locking means to permit the arms to move downwardly, and means to limit the -'downward movement of the arms.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature 

